Pearl Island boa

Patient Records

Pearl Island Boa: Boa constrictor sabogae

Boa c. sabogae is a small island species native to an archipelago off the southern coast of Panama.  This archipelago is far enough away from the mainland to prevent its boas from swimming across; although rafting during storms is presumed to have occurred occasionally allowing some cross breeding.  That has left this species secluded to evolve separately for thousands of years.

Snake Haus currently has one animal that we were told is a Pearl Island Boa. A tremendous amount of cross breeding has occurred in captivity making it very difficult to know which snakes might be true B. c. sabogae specimens.  Pearl fits the description of a relatively small, slight bodied snake, with very little melanistic markings on an orangey background. We have not yet had a chance to perform scale counts on her for confirmation.  Scale counts should be as follows if she is in fact a Pearl: Mid body in the low 70’s and ventral in the 240’s.  We will update this page once we have collected Pearl’s scale counts to let you know what she really is.  Exciting and interesting stuff!

Pearl is a bit cantankerous.  She does NOT like being handled, is very food moticated, and more than a little territorial.  This is a fun combination and makes her not suitable for inexperienced snake handlers.